Tractor wheel



Mar. 6, 1923. 1,447,442 H. G. STONE TRACTOR WHEEL Filed May 19, 1922 Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

g? AT E g HORACE G. STONE, 01E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACTOR WHEEL.

Application filed May 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Horace G. STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tractor Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to traction wheels of the type shown and described in my Patent No. 1,399,443, granted Dec. 6, 1921, in which a series of plugs is provided around the periphery of the wheel and adapted to be projected by a gravity member only when the part of the wheel in which they are contained approaches the ground, the particular object of the present invention being the provision of means for positioning and holding the gravity member in an inoperative position within the wheel when the latter is traveling over smooth round and it is not desired that the plugs shall be projected for traction purposes.

As stated in my patent above referred to, the traction wheel which I provide is adapted to overcome the difficulties ordinarily experienced in the propelling of tractors by the use of means of the foregoing character to prevent slippage of the wheel, the arrangementalso permitting the cleaning of the smooth wheel surface and the plugs themselves during upper part of the travel of the wheel. When the wheel is traveling over smooth ground, or upon pavements, it is, of course, undesirable that the traction plugs should be projected and, in order to prevent the necessity of complete removal of the gravity member under such conditions, I provide means for removing said member from contact with the inner ends of the plugs when desired, and holding it in a convenient position, preferably concentric with the wheel, so that it does not impede the progress thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a construction of this type, of supporting means for the gravity member of such character that said member may be lifted from its operative to its inoperative position by mere successive placement of the supports as the wheel is slowly rotated, the supports for this purpose being preferably provided at three points about the center of the wheel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a support for the gravity memher, which will permit said member to move 1922. Serial No. 562,084.

to its operative position by the withdrawal of merely a single support and slight rotatlon of the wheel, it being possible, in this manner, to remove each of the supports when no load is imposed thereon.

St ll another object of the invention is the provlsion of simple devices for accomplishlng the purpose stated, which will be inexpenslve and adapted for easy insertion, or withdrawal, so that they may or may not be used, in accordance with rapidly changing re uirements.

ther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description. which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a traction wheel in which my invention is embodied, a

part of one of the side plates being broken I away and certain parts being shown in section for convenience of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a simllar view with the gravity member held in its inoperative positlon; and

Fig. 3 1s a partlal transverse section,

showing the parts in the position assumed in Figure 2.

The traction wheel shown upon the drawing, for purposes of illustration, is formed with an outer rim 11, connected by means of side plates 12 with a hub 13 mounted on an axle 14, the wheel being adapted to be propelled by power applied through a sprocket wheel 15 secured by bolts lo-with the side thereof. The rim 11 is connected by means of bolts 17 with the side plate 12 and a second band 18, of similar formation, is provided a short distance inwardly from said rim and connected by means of bolts 19 with said side plates 12. Extending through apertures in the rim 11 and band 18 are plugs 20, which are freely slidable through said apertures and upon which are mounted springs 21 having one end bearing against the interior of the rim 11 and the other against collar plates 22 provided on the plugs and held by pins 23 at a point which causes the springs to hold said plugs normally retracted to an extent which poses their outer ends flush with the periphcry of the wheel. This arrangement also prevents the projection of the plugs to too great an extent and it is obvious that the springs may be of any desired tension, according to particular requlrements'. A ring 2% is provided w 1th1n the wheel and is adapted to bear upon the inner ends of the plugs 19 when the part of the wheel in which they are contained approaches the ground, as illustrated in- Figure 1. In this manner, the plugs are caused to enter the ground to provide the; desired traction. .The plugs may be arranged in any desired numher and position in the-rim-and inner band 18, beingshown in thedrawing in a double row and instaggered relationship.

I .The ring 24 comprises a, heavy gravlty member which is adapted to roll within the wheel directly which is in oontact with the above the portion thereof ground, thereby projecting the plugs 20 for traction purposes. By reason of the sprlngs2l, said plugs are held in retracted position, as heretofore stated, excepting when said gravity member bears upon their lIlIlGIBILdS as they approach the ground, said member, therefore, serving to provide suitable traction surface-conditions on the exterior of the wheel successively in the areaswhereneeded and permitting the traction devices andperiph- -ery of the wheel to be cleaned when they are above the ground.

A mud scraper 25 is mounted upon the tractor frameand'adapted to remove the mud from the the latter is in its upper position with the plugs 19 retracted. It is obvious, also, that the retraction of the plugs effectively cleans them and, in this manner, the entire wheel is a continuously and automatically cleaned in operation. In order that the ring 24 may be held out of operative position when the tractor 1s traveling over smooth surfaces, I provide a series ofsupports 26, which, in the present instance, comprise bolts extending through 1 byrnere withdrawal j is ,thus also held in tha t i t. c loes not interfere with the balance a i and inserting the other after .beenturned to the position shown in Fig. 2.

apertures 27 in the side plates 12. By proat three points about the center, or hub of'the wheel, it will be viding these supports .manifest that the, ring may be positioned "within the supporting pins 26 by first inserting two pins in the two apertures shown in upper or unobstructed position ingFig. 1.

the wheel has Thus no-lifting is required and the ring, or I gravity member, may 55" be rapidly and easilv mogved from operative to inoperative position and ,vice versa, release'being accomplished g, It is thought that.

of the bolts. The ring concentric position, so

ormovement' of the wheel.

the invention and many ofits; attendant advantages will be under ...,rst oid..f ,qm the will be apparent that various changesmay be made inthe form, construction and aror sacrificing all of its periphery of the wheel when rim andnormally retracted,

foregoing description, and it;

rangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention material advantages, the form-hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

- I claim:

1. A traction-wheel, comprising a rim, a hub, plugs extending through said rim and slidable therethrough to and 1 from extended and retracted positions; springs for retracting said plugs, and a gravity member engaging the inner ends of said plugs when they approach the ground for projecting them from said rim into traction engagement with the ground, means for connecting the rim withthe hub, and means for holding said gravity member out of engagement with the inner ends of said plugs when it is not desired that the latter shall be projected.

2. A traction wheel, comprising a rim, a hub, plugs extending through said rim and slidable therethrough to and from extended and retracted positions, springs for retracting said plugs, and agravity member-engagingthe inner ends of said plugs-when they approachthe ground for projecting them from said'rim into traction engagement with the ground,'means for connecting the rim with the hub, and a three-point support for said gravity member adapted tohold the latter out of engagement with the inner ends of said the wheel, said member being positioned within the supports cessive placement of the latter rotation of the wheel.

3. A traction wheel, comprising a:: rim, a hub, traction'devices normally retracted in the rim, a gravity member adapted to project said devices-upon 'their approach toward the ground, and means for-sustaining said member in inoperative position within adapted to be by mere sucand normal the wheel when the latter :is traveling over ing said member'concentrically with the wheel and out of engagement with said plugs when it is not desired that the plugsishall be projected. V

5, A traction'wheel, comprising 'axrim, a

traction plugs freely slida-ble through" said a gravity member for projecting said plugs as they approach the ground, and means for supporting said member concentricallyx with the wheel and out of engagement with-said plugs when itis not desired that the plugs shall {huh means for connecting said rimlandhub,

be projected, said means comprising a series of bolts adapted to be successively positioned so that the ring is engaged thereby by normal rotation of the wheel.

6. A traction wheel, comprising a rim, a liub, means for connecting said rim and hub, traction plugs freely slidable through said rim and normally retracted, a gravity memher for projecting said plugs as they ap- 10 7 proach the ground, and means for supporting said member concentrically with the wheel and out of engagement with said plugs when it is not desired that the plugs shall be projected, said means comprising supporting members insertable through said means for connecting the hub and the rim, and said ring being movable to its inoperative or supported position by successive positioning of said members and rotation of the Wheel.

HORACE G. STONE. 

